Barcelona, 29 June 2016 – The Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME) strongly condemns yesterday’s terrorist attack at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport, which resulted in over 36 dead and hundreds of injured, and extends our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Turkey.

This terrorist attack in the main international airport of the country, and the wave of indiscriminate attacks recently increased in scale and frequency in places visited by foreigners, appears to be scaring off tourists and hurting the Turkish economy, which relies heavily on tourism revenues. Indeed, Istanbul’s Ataturk airport is a point of contact between West and East and is one of the world’s busiest airports. These terrorist attacks aimed at damaging the country’s economy, especially in its worldwide benchmark capital, Istanbul, as well as impede tourism arrivals.

Turkey is today six world’s tourism destination with 36, 8 million foreign visitors last year and other 5 million Turkish migrants visiting their country of origin. The Turkish tourism sector accounts today for over 11 % of the country’s GDP and employs, directly and indirectly, more than 2, 5 million people. Moreover, income due to foreign tourism amounts to 32.000 M €.

In order to these events only have a transitory effect of the country’s economy, all countries from both shores of the Mediterranean must join forces. Both public and private sector, together with the civil society, must bet for the promotion of this country as one of the most wonderful destinations in the world. The economic activity may be our tool in the fight against terrorism.